Home appliance



E. F. HUBACKER HOME APPLIANCE April 3, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1960 T, 6 6 Wm w W Wm S H M/ J NN: m.

Earl

A ril 3, 1962 E. F. HUBACKER HOME APPLIANCE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 1960 April 3, 1962 E. F. HUBACKER 3,027,733

HOME APPLIANCE Filed March 28, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

EarZFHuac/sez April 3, 1962 E. F. HUBACKER HOME APPLIANCE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 28, 1960 E arlf ff 12222262 m-s r 3; i thrice 3 l atenteci Apr. 3, 1962 3 ,627,733 Hill? APPL'iAN ClE Earl Hnhaeiter, the, End, assignor to Whirlpool ilorporation, a corpcration of elaware Filed 223, 1969, Set. No, ldftlfi 8 il. nil-" 53) This invention relates to ice makers and in particular to ice body makers for use in refrigerators.

The present invention is concerned with an improved method of utilization of a heat motor type force providing means to break an ice body free of the walls of the mold in which it is formed and to eject the freed ice body from the mold.

The ice body maker herein comprises a modification of the ice body maker shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 841,128, filed September 21, 1959, wherein a heat motor is utilized to operate a toggle linkage for providing an impact force ejecting the ice body from the mold. in the present invention, the ice body is freed from the wall of the mold by a shearing action rather than an impact action thereby eliminating the noise of impact, permitting a reduction in the size and required strength of components of the ice body maker, and effectively minimizing breakage of the ice bodies during ejection.

A principal feature of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of a new and improved ice body maker.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such an ice body maker having new and improved means for shearing the ice body from the mold walls to free the ice body from the mold during the ejection operation.

A further feature is the provision of such an ice body maker including a mold having a cavity for forming an ice body therein, the cavity having a first opening for ejection of the ice body therethrough and a second, opposite opening, an ejection member in the cavity normally closing the second opening, means pivoting the ejection member to free the ice body from the mold wall, and means urging the ejection member toward the first opening to eject the ice body therefrom.

Still another feature is the provision of such an ice body maker wherein the pivoting means includes a heat motor and an associated linkage.

A still further feature is the provision of such an ice body maker wherein the linkage is arranged to have a maximum mechanical advantage at the time of freeing the ice body from the mold wall.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of such an ice body maker including spring means for urging the freed body outwardly from the mold cavity to complete the ejecting operation.

Yet another feature of the invention is the provision of such an ice body maker including new and improved means for actuating the water supply valve controlling the flow of water to the mold cavity.

A yet further feature of the invention is the provision of an ice body maker having improved simplicity, economy of construction and quiet operation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, top plan view of an ice body maker embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section thereof taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an elevation thereof looking in the direction of the arrows in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the relationship of the linkage to the bin control arm.

FiGURE 5 is a fragmentary rear elevation illustrating the arrangement of the linkage and ejection member upon completion of the formation of an ice body in the mold.

FEGURE 6 is a fragmentary rear view generally similar to that of FIGURE 5 but with the linkage and ejection member as arranged during the shearing of the ice body from the mold wall.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary rear view generally similar to that of FIGURE 6 but showing the arrangement of the linkage and ejection member immediately after the ice body has been ejected from the mold.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary rear view generally similar to that of FIGURE 7 but showing the linkage in an overcenter position and the ejection member returned to the position wherein it closes the lower end of the mold to prepare the mold for delivery thereto of a quantity of water to form a subsequent ice body therein.

FIGURE 9 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit of the ice body maker.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawings, an ice body maker generally designated it is mounted on an insulating refrigerator wall It defining a portion of the boundary of a refrigerated space 12. Within space 12 is disposed a mold 13, an ejecting apparatus generally designated 14 and means for operating the ejecting apparatus including a heat motor 15 and a linkage 16. The linkage is connected to the ejecting apparatus 14 by an outer shaft 17. The outer shaft is, in turn, connected to an inner shaft 18 which extends rearwardly through the insulating wall 11 to terminate in an outer end 19 disposed in the space 2t; outwardly of the wall. Mounted on wall 11 in space 29 is a water valve 21 which is operated by means of a gear sector device 22 fixed to shaft end 19. Adjacent the water valve is a control switch 23 carried on one end 24 of a bin control arm generally designated 25. The control arm further includes a mid-portion 26 extending through wall 11 and an inner end 27 in space 12 terminating in a sensing knob 25 movable through the space in which the ice bodies 29 formed in mold 313 are collected upon ejection from the mold.

More specifically, mold 13 is provided with a cavity 3d having a first upper opening 31 through which the ice body 2 9 is ejected. The mold is provided at the lower end of cavity 30 with an opening 32. A support plate 33 subjacent mold 313 is provided with an opening 34 coaxial of cavity 13 and having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of opening 32 to define an annular flange 35. Ice body 2% is ejected from mold cavity 30 by an ejection means 36 including an operating member 38 which extends coaxially through opening 34, and an annular sealing device 37 within the lower end of the mold cavity for movably sealing the operating member to the side wall of the cavity. Sealing device 37 com prises an annular, L-shaped sleeve 72 formed of a low friction material such as Teflon (tetrafluoroethylene polymer) in which is carried a rubber O-ring 73. An annular washer 74 is rigidly secured to operating member 38, as by being press fitted thereon to abut a radial shoulder '75 adjacent the upper end of the operating member. The ejection member terminates at its lower end in a frusto-conical portion 39. Directly above the end portion 39, the operating member 38 is fitted with an annular snap ring A baseplate, or retainer, 41 is urged downwardly against snap ring 4%} by a first helical spring 42. compressed between the baseplate and plate 33. A second helical spring 43 coaxially within spring 452 extends between the baseplate and washer 74 of the sealing device 37.

Outer shaft 17 is connected to baseplate 41 by a pair of links 44 and 45 each having one end pivotally connected to a corresponding bifurcated arm 46 integral with outer shaft 17 and the opposite end pivotally connected to an arm 47 depending from baseplate 41. A third arm on outer shaft 17 is disposed between bifurcated arms as and projects from the outer shaft to adjacent lower end 32 of the operating member 3%.

Linkage i6 includes a first link 49 connected at one end to an operator arm of heat motor 35 by a pivot connection fill. The opposite end of link 49 is connected to one end of a second link 52 by a pivot connection 53, and the opposite end of link 52 is connected to the outer end of a bifurcated arm 5 fixed on outer shaft 17 by a pivot connection 55. Link 4:? is provided with an outer cam surface engageable with a pin 57 fixed on Wall it to urge the linkage to an overcentered position as will be brought out subsequently in the description of the operation of the ice body maker. Extending perpendicularly from link 49 is a pin 58 which engages an elongated arm 59 connected to control arm portion 26. Downward movement of heat motor arm 54 is effected by energization of a heater 6i? encircling the upper portion of the heat motor. As illustrated in FIGURE 9, operation of the heater as is controlled by switch 23 which is provided with an actuator 61 engageable with a stop at when pin 58 on link 49 is retracted to the position shown in FlGURE 4.

The ejection of an ice body 29 from mold i3 is illustrated in the successive representations of the mechanism as shown in FIGURES 5 through 8. In FIGURE 5, the mechanism is shown in the retracted position as obtains at the time of completion of the freezing of an ice body in the mold. Heater tit is energized at this time by the closing of switch 23 causing arm 5d of the heat motor to move downwardly. A turned flange 71 on link 59 engages link 52 to retain the links in the generally linearly aligned arrangement of FIGURE 5 and cause outer shaft arm 54 to pivot in a clockwise direction, thereby similarly rotating outer shaft 17 in a clockwise direction as seen in FiGURE 5.

When heat motor arm 5t reaches the position shown in FEGURE 6, rotation of outer shaft arm 54% has become sufficient to engage outer shaft arm 48 with the side of frustO-conical end 3& of the operating member 38. At this time, the direction of action of linkage 16 is sub stantially perpendicular to arm 54, whereby an effectively maximum force is transmitted from heat motor through arm 4-3 tending to cock the ejection member 36 carried at the upper end of operating member 33. As seen in FIGURE 6, washer 74 of the sealing device 357 pivots at one portion on flange 34 of plate 33, and as the moment arm of the ejection member about this pivot is substantially smaller than the moment arm between this pivot and the point of engagement of arm 48 with operating member end 39, a substantial mechanical advantage is obtained. At the same time, outer shaft arms 46 have moved sufficiently in a clockwise direction to cause links 44 to act through arms 4-7 on baseplate 41 urging the baseplate upwardly into engagement with a shoulder 64 on operating member 38, thereby forcing the operating member 38 and ejection member 36 upwardly. The combined forces of pivoting and upward movement of the ejection member cause the ice body 29 to be sheared free of the mold cavity wall substantially without noise or breakage of the ice body.

In moving from the lowermost position of FIGURE 5 to the shoulder engaging position of FIGURE 6, baseplate 41 compresses each of springs 42. and 43. Upon the freeing of ice body 29 from the walls of the mold, spring 43 urges the ejection member as forcibly upwardly, thereby pushing the ice body from the mold cavity to be collected in the bin space adjacent control arm end 23. The arrangement of the mechanism at the end of this phase of the operation is shown in FIGURE 7. As shown, the upward movement of the operating member 38 is limited by the engagement of boss 49 thereof with the underside of baseplate 41. Linkage I6 is still generally linearly aligned but cam surface 56 has now moved into engagement with pin 57 so that continued downward movement of heat motor arm 5t) will cause link 49 to move to the left as seen in FIGURE 7.

When link 49 moves sufficiently to the left, the linkage becomes overcentered releasing the force transmitting connection between heat motor arm 5%) and outer shaft arm 54 and permitting outer spring 42 to force baseplate 41 downwardly together with operating member 38. Easeplate 4i, acting through its depending arms 47 and links pivots outer shaft arms 46 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 8. The resultant rotation of outer shaft 17 causes pivoting of arm 54 thereon to position linkage 16 in the flexed position of FIGURE 8. in this arrangement of linkage in, the pin 58 carried on link 49 is disposed suihciently to the left of the position shown in Fl URE 4 to pivot arm 5? sufliciently to space actuator er of switch 23 from stop 62 and allow the switch to open thereby discontinuing energization of heater The residual heat of the heat motor is dissipated to the freezing temperature air in space 12 and heat motor 315 slowly retracts arm 5% to the initial position of FIGURE 5. The heat motor is arranged so that the time necessary to effect this full retraction of the arm 59 is substantially equal to the length of time necessary to freeze a subsequent ice body in the mold. As the retraction time is a function of the temperature of the air in space 22, an increase in the temperature of the air which will require a longer time for the freezing of the ice body in the mold will also cause the heat motor to take a longer time in returning the arm St} to the fully retracted position.

As indicated briel'lly above, the present invention further comprehends an improved means for controlling the delivery of water to cavity 36'. ldore specifically, inner shaft I3 which is rigidly keyed to outer shaft 17 is rotated therewith during the ejecting cycle discussed above. When outer shaft 17 is rotated in a clockwise direction to approximately the position of FIGURE 7, gear sector 22 on the end 19 of shaft l d is correspondingly pivoted in a clockwise direction as seen in FIGURE 3 to drive a meshing gear sector 65, pivotally mounted on valve 21, in a counterclockwise direction seen therein to engage an actuator as of valve 21, thereby opening the valve for admitting water to the interior of the valve. When, at the completion of the ejection operation, the shaft 17 is rotated in a counterclockw vse direction to the position of FIGURE 8, gear sector '22 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FEGURE 3 to the position shown therein, thereby pivoting gear sector 65 in a clockwise direction to release actuator as closing the inlet to the valve interior, and engaging a second actuator 67 to cause the quantity of Water in valve 21 to pass therefrom through a line 68 and a suitable duct 6% into mold cavity 30. The valve remains in this arrangement until such time as the shafts are returned to the position of FIG- URE 7 at which time the above described water delivery cycle is repeated.

As long as the level of ejected ice bodies in space 12 adjacent ball 28 remains sufliciently low so that no interference with the pivoting of the control arm assembly 25 occurs, preventing the movement of switch 23 to the position of FIGURE 3 wherein the actuator 61 engages stop 62, heater do will be energized by the closing of the switch 23 when the heat motor returns to the position of FIGURE 5. However, when the level of ice bodies rises sufiiciently to interfere with the free movement of ball 28 precluding the return of switch 23 to the position of FIG- URE 3, the switch will remain open when the heat motor reaches the position of FIGURE 5 and prevent a subsequent operation of the heat motor until such time as the level of ice bodies is reduced as by removal of all or part of the ice bodies from space 12, permitting the switch to move again to the position of FIGURE 3 to initiate heating of the heat motor by heater 6%.

It will be noted that the only electrical devices incorporated in the ice body maker are switch 23 and heater 60 which may be energized from a suitable power supply 70, such as a 115 Volt, 60 cycle power supply, through suitable leads L1 and L2. As a result of the mechanical advantages obtained in the connection between the heat motor and the ejection member, heat motor may be relatively small and the amount of energy required from heater 60 may be effectively minimized. The silent ejection of the ice bodies effected by ice body maker 10 is highly desirable in applications such as household refrigerators for which the compact, simple and economical construction of the ice body maker is well adapted.

Having described my invention as related to theembodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, it is my intention that the invention be not limited by any of the details of description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

1. In an ice body maker, the combination comprising: a mold having a cavity for forming an ice body therein, said cavity having a first opening for ejection of the ice body therethrough, and a second opposite opening; a substantially rigid ejection member in the cavity normally closing said second opening; means for pivoting said ejection member about a pivot substantially in the cavity to free the ice body from the mold wall; and means for urging the ejection member toward said first opening to eject the ice body therefrom.

2. In an ice body maker, the combination comprising: a mold having a cavity for forming an ice body therein, said cavity having a first opening for ejection of the ice body therethrough, and a second, opposite opening; a substantially rigid ejection member in the cavity normally closing said second opening; and means for pivoting said ejection member about one portion thereof in engagement with the mold adjacent said second opening to free the ice body from the mold Wall for ejection thereof through said first opening.

3. In an ice body maker, the combination comprising: a mold having a cavity for forming an ice body therein, said cavity having a first opening for ejection of the ice body therethrough, and a second opposite opening; a substantially rigid ejection member in the cavity adjacent said second opening; means biasing the ejection member into sealed engagement with the mold to close said second opening during the freezing of the ice body in the mold cavity; means for pivoting said ejection member about one portion thereof in engagement with the mold adjacent said second opening to free the ice body from the mold wall; and means for urging the ejection member toward the first opening to eject the freed ice body therefrom.

4. In an ice body maker, the combination comprising: a mold having a cavity for forming an ice body therein, said cavity having a first opening for ejection of the ice body therethrough and a second opposite opening; a substantially rigid ejection member in the cavity adjacent said second opening; operating means secured to said ejection member to project through said second opening and terminating in an outer end eXteriorlly of the mold; means acting between the mold and said outer end biasing the ejection member into sealed engagement with the mold to close said second opening during the freezing of the ice body in the mold cavity; means. engaging said outer end for pivoting said ejection member about one portion thereof in engagement with the mold adjacent said second opening to free the ice body from the mold wall; and means for urging the ejection member toward the first opening to eject the freed ice body therefrom.

5. The ice body maker of claim 4 wherein said outer end is provided with a radial shoulder, and said means biasing the ejecting member includes a retainer and a spring urging the retainer outwardly into abutment with the shoulder.

6. The ice body maker of claim 5 wherein said means urging the ejection member toward the first opening comprises a spring extending between the retainer and the ejection member.

7. In an ice body maker, the combination comprising: a mold having a cavity for forming an ice body therein, said cavity having a first opening for ejection of the ice body therethrough and a second opposite opening; an ejection member in the cavity normally closing said second opening; means biasing the ejection member toward said first opening; a heat motor; and a linkage between the heat motor and the ejection member for storing energy in the biasing means, pivoting said ejection member to free the ice body from the mold Wall and subsequently releasing the biasing means for ejection of the ice body through said first opening.

8. The ice body maker of claim 7 wherein the linkage includes a generally linearly acting portion, a first arm connected to said portion and mounted for pivoting about an axis, and a second arm fixedly associated with the first arm for pivoting about said axis and engageable with said ejection member when said first arm is generally perpendicular to the direction of action of said portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,634,594 Pieper July 5, 1927 1,870,370 Marchant Aug. 9, 1932 2,239,046 Lloyd Apr. 22, 1941 2,471,655 Rundell a- May 31, 1949 2,717,503 Woehler Sept. 13, 1955 2,744,390 Partsch May 8, 1956 2,767,557 Hubacher Oct. 23, 1956 2,771,749 Miller Nov. 27, 1956 2,808,707 Chace Oct. 8, 1957 2,833,123 Kennedy May 6, 1958 2,857,748 Nelson Oct. 28. 1958 

